Project Sourcing: Skepticism Turns to Success

Success comes in many sizes and forms, sometimes when you least expect it; and those successes are particularly sweet.  Recently, I was explaining the benefits of project sourcing to a potential client, a very talented, well known and respected designer, how we could assist by pulling fabrics or supplying tear sheets within the parameters that she would specify for us, staying true to her design vision.  She didn’t feel she would ever use that service, as she wanted to make those design decisions, she loved that process, and didn’t want to let that go.

To my delighted surprise, I was given the opportunity to pull supporting fabrics for one of her projects!  She had a presentation in several days, and could not fit the 5 hour round trip to the design center into her schedule.  She supplied me with the vendor and pattern numbers for the driving fabrics, and a few details about durability needs and budget.  The design center is 15 minutes from my office, and within 90 minutes, I had pulled approximately 60 fabrics from numerous vendors and showrooms, stopped at the FedEx store, and sent them off to be delivered to her doorstep the next day.

Here is a quote from her email:

“You spent half the time that I would have spent and found twice the number of selections.  There were at least a dozen out of the group that were extremely useful for the meeting.  My clients benefit because they don’t pay my high hourly rate and we still have a wonderful selection for them.  As you know, I was skeptical about having someone else make selections for me; after this process, I would absolutely use the service again.”

She was very happy with what was sent to her and was able to scheme for the presentation.  My greatest satisfaction was not that I changed her mind, but that I was able to help her and to exceed her expectations.

“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.” – Lewis Carroll

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